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WASHINGTON -- Less than a year after Inauguration Day, support for the Democratic Party continues to slump, amid a difficult economy and a wave of public discontent, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.
Hopefully this will lead to increased 3rd party membership. Independents like myself are getting tired of not having a voice.
How many times do I have to address this in this forum!? There will never be a viable third party in the US because of the particular structure of our federal electoral system. One of the closest things in political science to a 'natural law of politics' is Duverger's Law which holds that any electoral system which combines single-member districts with first-past-the-post elections will inevitably lead to a stable two-party system, period. In order to create a real multi-party system we'd have to either have run-off elections or, more preferably, multi-member districts. Even better, we'd need both! This law does a great job of explaining why some democracies find themselves having a two party system, why some have a multi-party system with three to five viable parties and why some have multi-party systems with lots of viable parties. The structure of the electoral system is determinative in this regard. Unfortunately, the only way to change the electoral system would require overwhelming support from Republicans and Democrats who hold elected office, the very people who benefit from the current system. That'll never happen so we'll never have a viable third party no matter how much you wish we did. From time to time a third party might get one person into office briefly, but thats about it and that is typically a result of that persons personality rather than their party affiliation. This debate is pointless.
Unless you want to continue to lose everything you believe in elections, the best thing to do is decide is which of the two political parties you hate the most and vote for the other one. In the clearest sense, voting for a third party is a vote for the party you hate the most. The party who will win in the next election, will be the party that learns this lesson best.
The other lesson here is that no amount of discussing this matter in an anonymous political forum makes any difference. People will vote the way they want to.
How many times do I have to address this in this forum!? There will never be a viable third party in the US because of the particular structure of our federal electoral system. One of the closest things in political science to a 'natural law of politics' is Duverger's Law which holds that any electoral system which combines single-member districts with first-past-the-post elections will inevitably lead to a stable two-party system, period. In order to create a real multi-party system we'd have to either have run-off elections or, more preferably, multi-member districts. Even better, we'd need both! This law does a great job of explaining why some democracies find themselves having a two party system, why some have a multi-party system with three to five viable parties and why some have multi-party systems with lots of viable parties. The structure of the electoral system is determinative in this regard. Unfortunately, the only way to change the electoral system would require overwhelming support from Republicans and Democrats who hold elected office, the very people who benefit from the current system. That'll never happen so we'll never have a viable third party no matter how much you wish we did. From time to time a third party might get one person into office briefly, but thats about it and that is typically a result of that persons personality rather than their party affiliation. This debate is pointless.
I disagree. I think enough signatures from ordinary citizens, the 2 party system can be reformed despite them handling such a bill. A proposal on the ballot in every state of the union 3rd party could potentially get an even shot for a change. You've got to want it bad enough and haven't the past 10 yrs alone been enough evidence?
How many times do I have to address this in this forum!? There will never be a viable third party in the US because of the particular structure of our federal electoral system. One of the closest things in political science to a 'natural law of politics' is Duverger's Law which holds that any electoral system which combines single-member districts with first-past-the-post elections will inevitably lead to a stable two-party system, period. In order to create a real multi-party system we'd have to either have run-off elections or, more preferably, multi-member districts. Even better, we'd need both! This law does a great job of explaining why some democracies find themselves having a two party system, why some have a multi-party system with three to five viable parties and why some have multi-party systems with lots of viable parties. The structure of the electoral system is determinative in this regard. Unfortunately, the only way to change the electoral system would require overwhelming support from Republicans and Democrats who hold elected office, the very people who benefit from the current system. That'll never happen so we'll never have a viable third party no matter how much you wish we did. From time to time a third party might get one person into office briefly, but thats about it and that is typically a result of that persons personality rather than their party affiliation. This debate is pointless.
Sure .. the debate is only pointless until the Congress is filled with 3rd party representatives ...
Democrats have plenty more to lose than Republicans. Too bad the Left doesn't have the structural integrity to get out the vote in an off-year election....an election that they will need as much momentum as they can get. The first black President is in office, so it's back to the Couch Of Apathy for most of the 2008 Democratic voters in 2010.
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